UNC STV finds drama in business dealings

Last week, members of UNC Student Television’s listserv received drama that wasn’t scripted.

Conflicting opinions over whether or not members should have to pay $10 dues led to a heated email exchange between executive members.

But there’s no business like show business, and STV station managers Gabrielle Garland and Christian Wisseh want to make it clear — STV is definitely a business.

“You’re pretty much running a business when you’re the head of STV,” Wisseh said. “It is physically impossible for a singular person to do this job because there are so many factors.”

Those factors include managing a budget, handling equipment and ensuring STV’s shows are all running smoothly. On top of all this, the two are revamping the organization, which has been running for 33 years.

“This year has been a huge shift because we’re trying to run it more like a business, which is hard when you’re in a group with your friends,” Wisseh said.

Wisseh said making the student organization more of a business has included changing STV’s reliance from people’s talents to training systems. They also considered implementing $10 fees for each member, but ultimately decided against it.

“In past regimes, people have relied on other people’s talents. Those people graduate, they move on and all of those skills are lost,” he said.

Garland said implementing training systems will lead to a smoother production process for future station managers.

“What we inherited was kind of a mess,” Garland said. “Our goal is to make sure when we give this to the next station manager, they don’t have to relearn everything the way we did.”

Kelly Swanson, a senior and STV producer, said she is pleased with the changes Garland and Wisseh are making. Both she and Wisseh said they believe this approach to STV will make the organization better in the long run.

“You’re not making decisions from a personal place. You’re from a place of ‘Hey, we need to do what’s not only best for STV this year, but what’s best for STV in the long run,’ and people can’t seem to grasp that concept,” Wisseh said.

After spending the past semester writing and producing new content, STV is hoping to showcase its work with the help of Carolina Union Activities Board.

“With CUAB, we plan to premiere STV show trailers before the free films they show on the weekends,” Garland said.

In January, STV brought back one of its most successful former members — Bryan Tucker, a head writer of Saturday Night Live.

Garland said Tucker coming to UNC not only benefited STV’s campus presence but also reminded members why they’re working toward a career in entertainment.

“Seeing people like them shows us that what we’re doing right now is leading us to where we want to be.”

@yayjennic

arts@dailytarheel.com